The Sparrow Sisters by Ellen Herrick + a Giveaway

Good morning, readers! Today I'm a stop on the TLC book tour for Ellen Herrick's debut, The Sparrow Sisters. I do have a copy to give away today, so be sure to read through to the bottom to enter.

The Sparrow sisters - Sorrel, Nettie, and Patience - are just part of the story that is Granite Point. Albeit a very large part considering the girls' ancestors were one of the founding families of the town. History has it that one of the earliest Sparrow women was even accused of witchcraft. 

Now, generations later, the sisters run a nursery that brings folks from both near and far thanks to their remarkable green thumbs. And Patience is a known healer, concocting tinctures, teas, and infusions from her garden. The sisters are loved and respected, but all of that is about to change. 

The change begins with the arrival of the new town doctor. Henry Carlyle is young, good looking, and a war hero to boot, but Patience doesn't care about any of that. All she sees is another outsider who looks down on her non traditional treatments. Henry doesn't look down on Patience at all - or at least not much. In fact, Henry is quickly smitten by the woman. But when Patience is implicated in the death of a local things start to sour fast. Could history be repeating itself? Is Granite Point turning on Patience as it once did on her long ago ancestor?

Early blurbs for The Sparrow Sisters promised "...a touch of magic..." (Sarah Jio), "...a modern-day fairy tale..." (Sarah Addison Allen), and, according to the publisher, "...echoes of... Practical Magic..." Well, after such promising reviews - and from such fabulous authors - of course I had to get my hands on a copy. As most of us know, though, with such grand comparisons there's always a chance that they might be either overblown or maybe just a little... off. Nope. Not the case at all with this one! Jio, Addison Allen, and the folks at William Morrow had their comps down pat and I was all to happy to discover this for myself.

The Sparrow Sisters is a beautifully written tale that's packed to the brim with lush and vivid imagery.  The sisters, their plants, the scents that follow Patience around revealing her moods, everything is detailed so gorgeously it really does make you feel like you're right there with the characters. It's a sensual read in the most literal sense of the word!

It's emotional as well. The sisters haven't had things easy. They were essentially orphaned all at an early age - their mother died giving birth to Patience and their father followed just a few years later. They've stuck together and toughed it all out, though, and have a thriving business to show for it. What's more, they're genuinely loved by most of the townspeople. But there's something missing - a passion, a fire... and they're the last of the Sparrows.

To see how their story unfolds you'll have to read the book yourself. It is quite an enjoyable tale, though, and definitely one fans of both above-mentioned authors - Sarah Jio and Sarah Addison Allen - will adore!

To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.

For more on Ellen Herrick and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

And now for the giveaway! I have one copy up for grabs for one of you lucky readers. To enter just fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, September 21. Open US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway